Beau Schmitt and Kyle Chaykowski are bright guys — both University of San Diego grads, class of ’08. But as brilliant ideas go, theirs was pretty obvious.

They noticed that San Diego, while foaming over with breweries, fell flat for anyone seeking a tavern that offers nothing but local beers. What this region needed, they decided, was a place that covered the entire range of local beers, from chipotle stouts to double-dry-hopped black IPAs.

In other words, we needed the San Diego Brew Project.

Since April, the Project has been pouring tasters of beer inside the Fifty Seven Degrees wine bar. Schmitt and Chaykowski admit their place has some gaps — numerous breweries are absent, including Alpine.

But already this is San Diego’s most comprehensive lineup of local beer. Monthly, taps here will dispense beers from about 40 breweries spanning the county, from Otay Mesa’s Mad Lab to Oceanside’s Breakwater.

“With the smaller breweries, we want to focus on their core beers,” Schmitt said. “With the larger breweries, their specialty and rare beers.”

That’s understandable, yet sharing space with a wine bar baffles some who assume that cultured wine enthusiasts and knuckle-dragging beer slobs are locked in a foodie feud. Not so, Chaykowski said, noting that Fifty Seven Degrees happily opened its 5,500-square-foot bar area to That Other Beverage.

“The beer-wine combination really goes well,” said Chaykowski. “You have people who really love wine who also really love beer.”

Schmitt agreed. “Now, it’s basically two concepts in one. We pour wine and the Fifty Seven Degrees bartenders have adopted beer. It’s worked out really well.”

Besides, the partners added, many wine fans enjoy learning about San Diego’s growing beer scene. The bar carries maps of breweries from the San Diego Brewers Guild, and charts that explain the flavors of different beer styles, from herbal pilsners to tart lambics to citrusy India Pale Ales. The Brew Project also sells a large selection of local beers in bottles and cans, which can be drunk on the premises or elsewhere.

The duo plans to open one side of the building so guests can sit on a patio and watch the planes at nearby Lindbergh Field. Oh, and they are also trying to order kegs from more local breweries.